Bana Hills Danang

January 3, 2015

Up until the cable car was constructed I dismissed Bana as a valid tourist attraction, it was in my opinion way overrated. But my mind has been swayed, the millions of dollars of uprades to the cable car system have been worth it and have transformed Bana into a worthy and beautiful day trip from Danang or Hoi An.

On my previous 3 visits to Bana I had always ridden my trusty Minsk all the way to the top, never bothering to take the mini bus or to try out the (at the time) short cable car. For me the highlight of Bana was the ride up and down the mountain, there wasn’t much to see or do once you got to the top, even getting a refreshment was a chore, with few cafes and poor service.

A couple of weeks ago, accompanied by my wife and some friends from Ho Chi Minh City, I reluctantly agreed to go to the reinvented Bana Hills. The drive to the base of the new extension of the cable car is still spectacular whether you ride or take a taxi. The base of the cable car trip to the top is still in the development stages, restaurants, cafes, parks and swimming areas are still under construction. From the beginning start of the cable car ride you get a glimpse of how spectacular the trip will be.

As you ascend 5,000 metres, which takes just over 20 minutes, you get an amazing veiw, waterfalls, streams, dense forest and wide vistas across Danang to the sea. It is best to go when the sky is clear so you can make the most of the trip, if you can see the big Buddha on top of Bana from Danang, the scenery will be worth the journey.

From the center of Danang to the cable car takes about 50 minutes, along with the cable car trip and some time spent up top walking around taking photos, you could do Bana in a moring or afternoon, when more restaurants are operational it would be a great place to spend the day. There is also accommodation in Bana if you are looking for a cozy and romantic getaway.